Railway-signal.



No. 788,624. PATENTED MAY 2, 1905. J. BILDSON.

RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLIOATIN FILED FEB.16,1904.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

Eve/Jar.

J. BILDSON. RAILWAY SIGNAL.

APPLIUATION FILED 11313.15. 1904.

No. 788,624.v

STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

JOHN BILDSON, OF CHICAGO, 'ILLNOIS RAILWAYSIGNAL. i

SPECIFICATION forming1 part of Letters Patent N0. 788,624, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed February 16, 1904. Serial No. 193.889.

Bo it known that I, JOHN BiLnsoN, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident ol Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lfailway-Signals, of which the following is declared to be a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to railway block systems, and seeks to provide simple and eiii'ective means for automatically .setting and clearing the block-signals.

rlhough not limited in its use to any particular class of railways, the invention is in its preferred lorm particularly adapted for use in electric railways.

The invention consists in the arrangements and combinations ol parts hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l. is a diagram* matic View of a railway-block to which the signal is applied and showing the operating parts and circuits. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view o'l the signaloperating mechanism and controlling devices. Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the tread-bar for setting the signal. Fig. 4 is a side elevation olz the signal operating and controlling mechanism with the parts in the position assumed when the signalis set to danger. Fig. 5 is alongitudinal section. o'lZ the mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 4 with the parts in normal position when the signal is cleared.. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the mechanism shown in Figs. 4 and. Fig. 7 is a detail side eleva tion oi one of the contact devices for the controlling-circuits.

In Fig. l. is represented a railwayblock to which the improved. signal is applied, which includes the track-rails 10, the guard-rails 11, and the third or trolley rail 12, which is engaged bythe trolleys or shoes of the passing trains.

lhe signal-controlling mechanism is mounted, as shown, upon a suitable base-plate 13. A rock-shaft 14 is` j ournaled at its outer end upon an upright 15 on the base-blate 13, and at its inner end is a suitable bearing 1G in the outer guard-rail 11. A crank .17, laterally projecting 'from the inner end oi the rock sha'l't 14, is connected by a link 1S (see Fig. 2) with one end of a tread-bar 19. The tread-bar 19 is pivoted at its other end in a bracket 20 and is held, as shown, closely against the head of the track-rail l() by a guide-ringer 2l. rl`he outer end of the rockshaft 14 is provided with an upwardly-extending crank-arnii 22, to which is pivoted the signal-operating rod 23. The latter operates the semaphore 24 or other signal through the medium ol a bell-crank 25 and a connecting-link 26 or in any other suitable manner.

An arm 27 .is fixed to the crank-shaft 1.4 and projects laterally therefrom. A weight 2S upon the outer end oli the arm 27 operates.

to normally hold the semaphore or other signal in its clear position. A second arm 29, projecting from the rock-shaft 1.4 .in the opposite direction, is conveniently formed in piece with the arm 27, as slnnvn, and its outer end is bent laterally and formed with an oii'- set portion 30. A latching-lever 31 is pivoted at one end to an upright 32 upon the base plate 13 and rests upon a roller 33, which is carried by a pin 34, laterally pro j ecting l'rom the oil'set portion 30 of the arm 29. A spring (see Figs. 4 and 5) extends between the latching-lever 31 and base-plate 13 but the lever is normally held in upright positionv (see Fig. 5) against the tension of the spring by the weighted lever-arms 27 and 29.

Opposite the free end of the lever 31 is arranged a U-shaped upright 36, which carries at its upper end a horizontally-sliding latch 37, which is held in normal position by a spring 3S, fixed to the upright 36 and engaging its outer end.

As the train enters the block the tread of the wheels will engage and depress the tread-bar 1.9 and set the signal 24 to danger" through the medium of the rock-shaft 14 and operating-rod 23, which are shifted against the pull of the weight 28. As the part 27 or the weighted arm is lifted the parts 29 and 3() at the opposite end are lowered and the spring 35 pulls the lever 31 into engagement with IOO the latch 37, so that the signal is locked in danger position.

Other means may be employed for setting and holding the signal in danger position without departure from the scope of the invention, but that described is preferred, since it comprises few parts, which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured and are not liable to get out of order. The compound lever-arms 27, 29, and 31 form a simle and effective means for decreasing the everage or pull of the weight 28 upon the latch 37, so that the latter is sensitive in operation and may be easily shifted to unlock the lever-arms and clear the signal.

Upon the latch 37 is mounted the armature v39 of an electromagnet, the coils 40 of which are secured to one of the arms of the U-shaped upright 36, so that when the magnet 4() is energized latch 37 will be shifted against the tension of its spring 38 to release the lever 31, so that the operating parts may be restored to normal position and the signal cleared by the action of the weight 28.

A second U-shaped upright 41 upon the base-plate 13 carries upon one of its arms a vertically-shiftable transfer-switch or cutout 42. The switch 42 is in the shape of a flat plate shiftably supported in position upon the upright 41v by pins 43, which extend through slots 44 therein. A laterallyprojecting contact-piece 45 upon the transfer-switch is adapted to cooperate in its upper and lower positions with either one of a pair of oppositely-arranged terminals 46 and 47. These terminals, as shown, are mounted upon but insulated from the upright 41 and are each preferably formed of separate spring-fingers, with which the contact 45 engages.

The transfer-switch 42 is normally held in its upright position with contact 45 in engagement with terminal 47 by a latch or locking-bolt 48. This latch or bolt is arranged to slide horizontally throu h openings in the separate arms of the U- aped upright 41 and is held in normal position by a spring 49, fixed to the upright 41 and engaging one end of the latch. The oppositeend of the latch engages an opening in the transfer-switch 42 when the latter is in uppermost position, and thus holds the switch in such position.

Upon the latch or locking bolt 48 is mounted the armature 50 of an electromagnet, the coils 51 of which are secured, as shown, to one of the arms of the U-shaped upright 41. When the magnet 51 is energized, the latch 48 will be retracted against the tension of spring 49 and the transferswitch 42 drops by gravity, shifting the contact 45 from engagement with terminal 47 and into engagement with terminal 46. As shown, the pin 34 upon the weighted leverarms 27 and 29 extends beneath a laterallyprojecting pin 52 upon the transfer-switch and operates when the signal is released to restore the switch to its normal uppermost position.

The restoring-magnet 40 is connected by a conductor 53, as indicated in the diagram Fig. 1, with the terminal 46. The coils of the controlling-magnet 51 are connected by a conductor 54 with the terminals 47, so that the circuit through the restoring-magnet is normally open at the transfer-switch, while that through the controlling-magnet is normally closed at this point. Suitable means arranged to bel controlled or actuated by the passing train are located between the signal and the end of the block for energizing the coils of the controlling-magnet 51 and at the end of the block for energizing the restoring or clearing magnet 40. ln the form shown such means comprises suitable energizing inclines or contact devices 55 and 56. The construction of these inclines or contact devices is shown in detail in Fig. 7. These consist of bent iron bars mounted upon and insulated by blocks of wood which are secured to the guard-rail 11 on the side of the circuit opposite the trolley-rail 12. ln railways of this type trolleys or shoes are provided on both sides of the cars, those on one side being in engagement with the trolley-rail 12. The contacts or inclines 55 and 56 are insuch position that they will be engaged by the trolley-shoes on the opposite sides of the cars. As stated, the coils of magnets 40 and 51 are connected on one side with the terminals 47 and 46. The other sides of the coils 40 and 51 are connected, respectively, by conductors 58 and 59 with the contacts or engaging inclines 55 and 56. The transfer-switch 42 is grounded by a conductor 60 to the track-rail 10 or to some metal part in electrical connection therewith.

ln operation the train enters the block in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. The signal is set tov danger as the train engages and depresses the tread-bar 19 through the medium of the rock-shaft 14 and operating-rod 23, as previously described. The weight 28 and the portion 27 of the weighted levers are raised by this operation, while the part 29 is lowered and the latch-arm 31 is drawn by its spring into engagement with the latch or locking-bar 37, as indicated in Fig. 4. rlhe pin 34 falls away from the pin 52 upon the transfer-switch; but the switch is still held in upright position by the latch or lock-bar 48. As soon as the trolley upon the rst car engages the incline 56 a current passes therefrom through conductor 59 to the coils of magnet 51 by conductor 54 to terminal 47 by contact 45, transfer-switch 42 and conductor 60 to the track. Magnet 51 is thus energized and latch 48 is withdrawn, permitting the transfer-switch 42 to fall by gravity. This action opens or cuts out the circuit through the magnet 51 and TUO ITO

grounds the circuit through the coils of the magnet 40. rI`he succeeding trolley-shoes on the train engaging the contact or incline 46 will produce no effect upon the circuit through magnet 51, since that circuit is open at the transfer-switch or cut-out. So, also, if the train comes to rest with one of the trolleys upon the contact 56 there will be .no leak of the current, since the ground on this circuit is open as soon as the first shoe engages the contact. As the train passes out of the block the first trolley-shoe thereon engages the energizing incline or contact device 55, and the current passes therefrom through the conductor 58, coils of magnet 40, conductor 53 to terminal 46, thence by contact 45, transfer-switch 42 and conductor 60 to the track. In this way the magnet 40 is energized,the latch or locking-bar 37 is withdrawn, the lever-arms 29 and 27 are released, and the operating parts are restored to normal position and the signal cleared by the weight 28. At the same time pin 34 engages the pin 52 on the transfer-switch and lifts the latter back to normal position into engagement with the spring-actuated locking-bar or latch 48. The circuit through the magnet 40 is thus open or cut out automatically, so that there can be no leakage of current ii the train should come to rest with one of its trolleyshoes upon the contact 55.

The arrangement of the clearing-circuit, energized by the train as it leaves the block, in connection with the controlling-circuit, energized by the train about the middle of the block, insures that the signal will always be held in danger position until the block is entirely clear. I'f the controlling-circuit were not employed, the signal might be set in safety position with the train on the block. For example, if a train of several cars is passing out of a block and a shorter train is waiting to enter the block the first car of the train ahead will clear the signal and it will be possible l'or the shorter train to set the signal to [danger, enter the block, and have the signal cleared behind its last car by one ol the rear cars of the longer train leaving the block. The arrangement of actuating and controlling circuits prevents such a condition, as the second train must pass the contact 56 to energize the controlling-circuit and magnet before the clearing circuit and magnet can be energized.

It will be observed that the signal may be advantageously employed with electric railways with which no local batter is necessary and with which, by reason of t 1e automatic cut-out, no leak of current is possible. The coils of the magnets 40 and 51 are wound to a high resistance, so that the amount of current used is small. Blow-out fuses may be employed in the controlling and clearing circuits to prevent leakage of any large amount Oli current.

Y It is obvious that` the signal system canbe readily adapted to railways of any sort, since the trains could be readily provided with means for engaging the contacts 55 and 56 to energize the controlling and clearing circuits. All these circuits could be operated lrom local batteries. In the latter case the contacts 55 and 56 should be modified to form circuitclosers.

It is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the details of structure and arrangement of parts without departure 'from the essentials of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In railway block systems, the combination with a signal and means for setting said signal, of an electromagnet, a switch in the circuit of said magnet, train-operated means for successively shifting said switch and energizing said magnet and means controlled by said magnet for clearing said signal and restoring said switch to normal position.

2. In railway block systems, the combination with a signal and means for setting said signal, of an electromagnet, a circuit therefor having a contact device at the end of the block, a switch in said circuit, train-operated means between the signal and the end of the block for shifting said switch and means controlled by said electromagnet for clearing the signal and restoring said switch to normal position.

3. In railway block-signals, the combination with a signal and means Yfor setting said signal, of an opera-ting electromagnet, a switch in the circuit of said magnet, a second electromagnet, means controlled thereby for effecting the shift of said switch and means controlled by said operating magnet for clearing said signal and restoring said switch to normal position.

4. In railway block systems, the combination with a signal, of means for setting said signal arranged to be operated by a train entering the block, means for clearing said signal,`an electromagnet controlling said signalclearing means, an operating-circuit 'for said magnet having a contact device at the end el the block, a normally open switch in said circuit, a second electromagnet controlling the movement el said switch to close said circuit and a controlling-circuit for said second electromagnet having a contact device located between the signal and the end ol the block, said contact devices being arranged to be acted upon successively by the passing train to clear the signal.

5. In railway block-signals, the combination with a signal, el signal-setting and signal-clearing means, an operating-magnet lier controlling said signal-clearing means, a second electromagnet and means controlled by each of said magnets for opening its own eir- IOO cuit and closing the circuit of the other of said magnets.

6. ln railway block-signals, the combination with a signal and means for setting said signal, of signal-clearing means comprising an operating-electromagnet, a circuit therefor having a contact device at the end of the block, a controlling-electromagnet, a circuit therefor having a contact device between the signal and the end of the block and means controlled by each of said magnets for opening its own circuit and closing the circuit of the other of said magnets.

7. ln railway block-signals, the combination with a signal, of means for setting said signal, means for clearing said signal, a controlling-electromagnet for said signal-clearing means, a normally open switch in the circuit of said magnet and train-actuated devices located in advance of and at the end of the block for successively shifting said switch to close the circuit through said magnet and energizing said circuit to clear the signal, said signal-clearing means being arranged to restore said switch to its normal, open position.

8. ln railway block-signals, the combination with a signal, of train-actuated means for setting said signal, means for clearing said signal, a controlling-electromagnet for said signal-clearing means, a normally open cutout switch for said magnet, a second magnet controlling the shift of said switch and trainactuated means for successively energizing said switch-magnet and said clearing-magnet, said signal-clearing means being arranged to restore said cut-out switch to normal, open position.

9. ln railway block-signals, the combination with a signal, of signal setting and clearing means, an electromagnet controlling said signal-clearing means, a second electromagnet controlling the operation of said first magnet, a transfer-switch arranged to alternately cut out said magnets and means controlled by said magnets for shifting said switch.

10. In railway block-signals, the combination with a signal, of signal setting and restoring means, an electromagnet for actuating said signal-clearing means, a second controlling-magnet, an automatic cut-out and transfer-switch normally closing the circuit through said controlling-magnet but arranged to be shifted on the operation of said magnet to cut out said circuit and close the circuit through said clearing-magnet and train-actuated devices located respectively in advance of and at the end of the block for successively energizing the circuits of said controlling and said signal-clearing magnets.

11. ln railway block-signals, the combination with a signal, of train-actuated signalsetting devices, means for clearing said signal including an operating electric circuit, an automatic cut-out and transfer-switch normally holding said circuit open but shiftable to complete the same, a second controllingcircuit normally closed through said switch but cut out by the shift thereof, an electromagnet in said second circuit controlling the shift of said switch and means cooperating with the train passing through and out of the block for successively energizing said controlling and said signal-clearing circuits, said signal-clearing means being arranged to restore said switch to normal position.

12. ln block systems for electric railways, the combination with a signal, of train-actuated means for setting said signal, signalclearing means, an electric circuit for controlling said clearing means, a current-collecting contact connected to said circuit, located at the end of the block and arranged to receive current from the trolley of the passing train.

13. ln block-signals for electric railways,

the combination with a signal, train-actuated means for setting said signal, signalclearing means, an actuating electric circuit therefor, a normally open switch in said circuit, a second circuit controlling the shift of 9o said switch to close said first-mentioned cir` cuit and current-collecting contacts for said clearing'and controlling circuits located at and in advance of the end of the block and arranged to receive current from the trolley of the passing train.

14. ln block-signals for electric railways, the combination with a signal, of train-actuated means for setting said signal, signalclearing means, an o erating-magnet therefor, a second contro ling-magnet, an automatic cut-out and transfer-switch normally grounding the circuit of said controllingmagnet but shiftable on the operation of said magnet to cut out the circuit thereof and to ground the circuit of said signal-clearing magnet and current-collecting contacts in the circuits of said clearing and controlling magnets located respectively at and in advance of the end of the block arranged to engage successively the trolley or shoe of the passing train, said signal-clearing means being arranged to restore said transfer-switch to normal position.

15. In railway block-signals, the combination with a signal, a signal-setting means, a latch for holding the signal in danger posi- Y tion and an electromagnet for releasing said latch, a normally open switch in the circuit of said magnet, a latch for holding said switch in normal position, a second electromagnet for tripping said latch and signalclearing means arranged to restore said switch to normal, open position.

16. ln railway block-signals, the combination with a signal, an operating-rod for setting said signal, a rock-shaft and tread-bar for shifting said rod, a weighted lever fixed to said rock-shaft, a latching-lever engaging said weighted lever, a latch for engaging Ioo` IIO

ISO

the latter to hold the signal in danger position and an electroinagnet for releasing said latch.,

17. In railway block-signals, the combination with a signal, a train-actuated means for setting the signal, a latch for holding said signal in danger position, an electromagnet for releasing said latch, a cut-out switch in the circuit of said magnet normally open but shiftable to closed position, a second electromagnet controlling the shift of said switch ,and train-actuated. devices for successively completing the circuits through said controlling and latch magnets.

18. In railway block-signals, the combination with a signal, of train-actuated signal- 

